Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a novel way to manage the condition. We hypothesised that in patients with OSA and limited adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, domiciliary transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TESLA) would control sleep apnoea and provide health benefits.Methods
We undertook a single-centre, open-label, randomised, controlled phase III trial in patients with OSA (apnoea-hypopnoea-index [AHI] 5-35 h-1), a BMI of 18.5-32 kg∗m-2, and a documented lack of adherence to CPAP therapy (<4 h∗night-1) at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (hospital), UK. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using minimisation (gender and OSA severity) to receive TESLA or usual care (CPAP) for at least 3 months; sleep study analysis was provided without knowledge of the assignment arm. The primary outcome was change in AHI at 3-months. The primary outcome and safety were analysed in the intention-to-treat population. Data are reported as median (interquartile range), unless otherwise explained. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03160456.Findings
Between 6 June 2018 and 7 February 2023, 56 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned (29 patients in the intervention group and 27 in the usual care group). Patients were followed up for a median of 3.0 months (IQR 3.0; 10.0). The groups were similar in terms of age (55.8 (48.2; 66.0) vs 59.3 (47.8; 64.4) years), gender (male:female, 19:10 vs 18:9) and BMI (28.7 (26.4; 31.9) vs 28.4 (24.4; 31.9) kg∗m-2). The unadjusted group difference in the ΔAHI was -11.5 (95% CI -20.7; -2.3) h-1 (p = 0.016). Adjusted for the baseline value, the difference was ΔAHI -7.0 (-15.7; 1.8) h-1 (p = 0.12), in favour of the intervention. Minor adverse events were found in one of the participants who developed mild headaches related to the intervention.Interpretation
Domiciliary TESLA can be used safely and effectively in OSA patients with poor adherence to CPAP, with favourable impact on sleepiness and sleep fragmentation. Despite pandemic-related limitations of the amended protocol this trial provides the evidence that TESLA improves clinically meaningful outcomes over the observed follow up period, and the transcutaneous approach is likely to offer an affordable alternative for responders to electrical stimulation in clinical practice.Funding
British Lung Foundation, United Kingdom Clinical Research Collaboration-registered King's Clinical Trials Unit at King's Health Partners.
SUBMITTER: Ratneswaran D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10466238 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
EClinicalMedicine 20230803
<h4>Background</h4>Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a novel way to manage the condition. We hypothesised that in patients with OSA and limited adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, domiciliary transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TESLA) would control sleep apnoea and provide health benefits.<h4>Methods</h4>We undertook a single-centre, open-label, randomised, controlled phase III trial in patients with OSA (apnoea-hypopnoea-in ...[more]